Page 39 of Stormswept Colorado

“You eat drive-through?”

“Are you kidding? In-N-Out is my go-to in LA. Or burritos.”

“Didn’t think a celebrity would eat fast food.” I’d assumed she had a private chef or something.

“Maybeyou don’t know what I would and wouldn’t do,” she said teasingly.

“I’m realizing that.”

“And stop side-eyeing me. I amfine.”

“Alright. I’ll take your word for it.” For now.

“I appreciate you driving me, though. I really do.”

“I’m happy to.”

Once Main Street turned into the highway, I pulled off at the travel center, which had a drive-through burger place. I stopped the SUV in front of the menu board. “What’ll it be?”

Ayla leaned toward me, blond hair spilling over her shoulder, and her caramel scent hit me. It sank into my lungs and then lower. Arousal pooled in my low belly.Damn. An involuntary reaction, but still, I needed to tamp that down.

“Ooo, I’ll have the barbecue burger,” she said. “That sounds great. And a mint shake.”

“You want a cold drink on a snowy day?”

“It’s warming up in here.” She unzipped her coat and tossed it into the backseat.

It was definitely getting warm in here. We’d barely gotten started on the drive, and I was all too aware of her.

I pulled the SUV forward to the window. “Hey, Meredith,” Isaid to the teenager working today. She was a senior at the high school. Good kid. “How’s your brother?”

“He’s feeling a lot better, Chief. Thanks. I hear there’s going to be more snow than expected.”

“You heard right. Drive safe on your way home. Can we get two barbecue burgers, a mint shake, and two bottles of water? And would you mind grabbing me a big bag of salt-and-pepper kettle chips from the travel store? I’m addicted to those.”

“Sure thing, Chief.” Meredith looked past me and did a double take when she saw Ayla. “Um, anything else?”

I glanced at Ayla, lifting one eyebrow.

“No, but thanks Meredith,” she said.

The teenager’s eyes widened in shock, like she couldn’t believe Ayla Maxwell knew her name. “I love your music. Like,loveit. I listen to you all the time.”

Ayla smiled. “Thank you. That’s so kind.”

Once she remembered what she was doing, Meredith gave me the total, then disappeared from the window to grab the chips. Normally I’d go inside the travel shop and get them myself, but I planned to give her a generous tip for saving me the trouble.

When I turned to Ayla, she was studying me. “What?” I asked.

“It’s nice how you know everyone in town.”

“Hazard of the job.”

“And they clearly likeyou.”

Meredith reappeared. “Here you go, Chief. And Miss Maxwell. This is so cool. Like, best day ever. I put in extra barbecue sauce.” She handed me the food and the bag of chips, followed by the receipt. I passed everything over to my passenger.

“Wait.” Ayla took the receipt, fished a pen from my cup holder, and signed the thin paper.Thank you Meredith! Love, Ayla. “Here.” She reached across me again to hand the receipt to Meredith, who accepted it like a winning lottery ticket.

---